Hypodermic needle assembly



Oct. 28; 1958 J. J. MISKEL HYPODERMIC NEEDLE ASSEMBLY Filed April 5, 1957 ATTORNEY5 United States Patent HYPODERMIC NEEDLE ASSEMBLY John J. Miskel, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Chas. Pfizer & Co., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application April 3, 1957, Serial No. 650,394

3 Claims. (Cl. 128-221) This invention relates to a hypodermic needle assembly for intravenous use, and more particularly relates to such an assembly which includes means for filtering impurities from administered fluids.

Intravenous hypodermic needles are used for introducing fluids, pharmaceutical preparations, for example, into the blood stream. Although elaborate precautions are taken to insure that these fluids are maintained sterile and pure, a strong possibility still exists that impurities may be introduced through the needle as a result of conventional administering techniques. For example, the containers or vials of preparations are usually sealed by a rubber stopper which is punctured to allow its contents to be drained or drawn off and introduced or injected into the blood stream of the patient. Particles of the punctured stopper may consequently find their way through the administering system into the blood stream. Further if a glass syringe is employed in introducing an adjunct drug into the intravenous solution, fine particles of glass are also introduced due to the abrasion of the glass syringe piston against the wall of the syringe barrel.

An object of this invention is to provide an intravenous hypodermic needle assembly having a structure which insures that no foreign particles will pass through it and enter into the blood stream of the patient.

Another object is to provide an intravenous hypodermic assembly as aforementioned which is simple and economical to manufacture.

In accordance with this invention, an intravenous hypodermic assembly includes a sheet of filter material which is retained firmly in filtering position within the bore of the needle between the abutting edges of the shoulder of a recess formed in one section of the needle and the end of another section which is inserted within this recess. These two sections may be conveniently permanently assembled by means of a press fit to maintain a flat disc-shaped filtering screen, for example, in operative position. These telescoping filter retaining sections of the needle assembly may be conveniently formed, for example, by a recess in the hub cooperating with the inserted end of either a cannula, a sleeve, or another portion of the hub itself.

Novel features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation partially broken away in cross section of one embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation partially broken away in cross section of another embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation partially broken away in cross section of still another embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation partially broken away in cross section of a further embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of a filter screen which 70 may be used in any of the embodiments shown in Figs.

1-4; and

r' CC Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of another filter screen which may be used in any of the embodiments shown in Figs. 1-4.

In Fig. 1 is shown an intravenous hypodermic needle assembly 10 including a pair of telescoping sections-12 and 14. Section 12, for example, is the hypodermic needle or cannula including a flesh piercing point 16; and section 14, for example, is the hub including an optional flange 18 and an inlet end 20 which is tapered at 22 and indented by circumferential recesses 24, for facilitating the attachment and retention of the rubber hose which conducts the intravenous solution to the needle assembly.

A recess 26, cylindrical for example, is formed in the end of the hub 14 engaging the needle 12. The diameter of this recess is selected to provide a substantially permanent press-fitted joint when needle 12 is firmly inserted therein. Prior to insertion of needle 12, a sheet of filter material 28, of a size and configuration permitting it to fit within the recess with its edge overlying the shoulder 30 formed by the transition of the bore or passageway 32 through the hub to the recess 26, is placed in position. Sheet 28, is for example, a fiat circular disc or filter material as designated by 28 in Fig. 5, and 28 in Fig. 6 which are later described in detail. Sheet 28 is, for example, made smaller in diameter than the diameter of cylindrical recess 26 so that it may quickly and easily be introduced within the recess before insertion of the needle.

Shoulder 30 is machined square, for example, to cooperate with the correspondingly squared end of the inserted section 12. After section 12 is inserted firmly within the recess 26, its end 34 and the shoulder 30 of recess 26 abut opposite edges of the periphery of filter sheet 28 to retain it firmly in filtering position in line with the bore 32 of the hub 14 and the corresponding bore or passageway 36 through section 12.

In Fig. 2 is shown an intravenous hypodermic needle assembly 10a which is similar to needle 10 shown in Fig. l in that it is intended for intravenous administration in conjunction with gravity infusion from a raised container of preparation by means of rubber hoses (not shown) connecting the container to the inlet end 20a of the hub. Assembly 10a is similar to assembly 10 with the exception that the telescoping sections 14a and 15a are provided, for example, by two portions of the hub of the needle assembly. In this case, section 14ahas an end 37 which is reduced in diameter and is inserted within a recess 27 in hub section 15a and through optional flange 18a. Screen 28a is held in filtering position by abutment of the end of section 14a and the shoulder 29 within recess 27. Flange 18a is simultaneously secured between shoulder 40 on hub section 14a and the annular end 42 of hub section 15a.

In Fig. 3 is shown an intravenous hypodermic assembly 12b which is intended for use with conventional hypoderrnic syringes, of the Luer type for example, having a snout which intimately engages the tapered recess 43 formed within needle hub 14b. The mode of retention of screen filter material 28b is identical to that shown in Fig. l in which the end 34b of cannula 12b retains the screen in cooperation with the shoulder 30b of recess 26b formed within hub 14b.

In Fig. 4 is shown another Luci-type intravenous hypodermic needle assembly 100 in which a sheet of filter material 28c is retained against a shoulder 45 within recess 46 formed in the inlet end of hub 140. End 480 of sleeve 44 inserted in press fit relationship within recess 46 maintains filter 28c securely in operative position. Sleeve 44 is tapered internally at 47 to provide a surface for cooperating with the insertable tapered snout of a hypodermic syringe (not shown).

In Fig. 5 is shown a flat disc of filter material, for example, a conventional stainless steel filtering screen 28;

of 100 mesh size. This screen may be used for filtering relatively coarse particles of impurities from the intravenous solution.

In Fig. 6 is shown a disc 28 of standard micron filter material, stainless steel for example, which is perforated to allow particles only smaller than 300 r'nicronsize, for example, to pass through it. Micron filters with still smaller perforations may be utilized to prevent the passage of still smaller particles.

What is claimed is:

1. An intravenous hypodermic needle assembly comprising a pair of telescoping sections, said sections including aligned bores for conducting fluid through said needle assembly, the end of one of said sections being inserted within a recess forming a continuation of said bore of the other of said sections, a sheet of filter material of a size and configuration permitting it to fit within said recess with its edge overlying the shoulder formed by the transition of said bore to said recess, the end of said inserted section and said shoulder being cooperatively constructed and arranged to abut the edge of said sheet of filter material to retain it firmly in filtering position within said bore, said telescoping sections being portions of the hub of said needle assembly, said assembly including a flange, the inserted end of the inner telescoping section of the hub being smaller in cross section than the uninserted portion, an outer shoulder being formed by the transition from the inserted end of said inner telescoping section to said uninserted portion, and said flange being retained in position between said outer shoulder and the end of the outer telescoping section of said hub.

2. An intravenous hypodermic needle assembly comprising a pair of telescoping sections, said sections including aligned bores for conducting fluid through said needle assembly, the end of one of said sections being inserted within a recess forming a continuation of said bore of the other of said sections, a sheet of filter material of a size and configuration permitting it to fit within said recess with its edge overlying the shoulder formed by the transition of said bore to said recess, the end of said inserted section and said shoulder being cooperatively constructed and arranged to abut the edge of said sheet of filter material to retain it firmly in filtering position within said bore, and said sections being comprised of a recess within the inlet end of said hub and a sleeve inserted therein.

3. An intravenous hypodermic needle assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said sleeve is internally tapered to engage the tapered snout of a hypodermic syringe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,335,799 Schwab Nov. 30, 1943 

